Japan court orders Okinawa to build runways for US Marines

Protesters rally near the gate of Camp Schwab, a US Marine Corps camp northeast of Okinawa. Pic/AP

A Japanese court on Wednesday ordered the governor of Okinawa to approve the central government's modified plan for landfill work at the planned relocation site of a key US military base on the southern island despite persistent opposition and protests by residents.

The decision will move forward the suspended construction at a time Okinawa's strategic importance is seen increasingly important for the Japan-US military alliance in the face of growing tensions with China as Japan rapidly seeks to build up its military in the southwestern region.

The ruling by the Fukuoka High Court Naha branch allows the Land and Transport Ministry to order the modification work designed to reinforce extremely soft ground at the designated relocation site for US Marine Corps Air Station Futenma, overriding Gov. Denny Tamaki's disapproval. The ruling ordered Tamaki to issue the approval within three working days. Tamaki can still appeal to the Supreme Court, but the local government at this point has no power to stop the work unless the top court overturns the decision.

If completed, the new site will serve a key Marine Corps facility for the region and will be also home to MV-22 Ospreys that are currently deployed at Futenma.

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